Bush's War Room: Dick Cheney

January 6, 2006

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After suffering two more heart attacks in the 1980s, Cheney had quadruple bypass surgery in 1988. He suffered a minor heart attack in Nov. 2000, and has a device known as an ICD implanted to regulate his heartbeat. The so-called "pacemaker plus" monitors the heart rate and stimulates the heart with electricity to correct an irregular rhythm.

A Powerful Vice President

Despite his health, Cheney is believed to be one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.

His influence and his links to the energy sector, however, have often put George W. Bush's administration under public scrutiny.

Following the collapse of Enron, there have been calls to get Cheney to testify about his contacts with the energy giant. But Cheney has refused to testify.

The Iraq War has also exacerbated the pressures on the vice president. His critics maintain that his former company, Halliburton, has unfairly won lucrative contracts in Iraq. Halliburton was also the focus of a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into accounting practices begun when Cheney was head of the company.

Cheney is married to Lynne Vincent, best known for serving two terms as chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. They have two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary.